Fairytale Dreams
by Electromagnetic x Pikachu
Summary: A young girl who used to live a life of luxury is now forced into a life of servitude. A prince is struggling to find the cause of his constant dreams. Freedom. Love. Both have dreams of their own... and soon their worlds will collide. Deidara x OC


**Author's Note: This fanfic was written for my sister. Her OC is Kamikuri Yuri, and she's in love with Iwagakure no Deidara from Naruto.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Naruto. They belong to Kishimoto Masashi. I also don't own Kamikuri Yuri. She belongs to my sister, who gave me permission to write this fanfic. This fanfic's plotline was inspired by Disney's Cinderella, so I give them credit as well.**

**Fairytale Dreams (A Deidara x OC One-shot)**

**Scene 1 ~ From Riches to Rags**

I'm pretty sure you've heard or seen the story of Cinderella several times, especially the _Disney_ version. But what do you think would happen if we tweaked it a bit? Just a bit...

Our story takes place in a large property known as the Kamikuri estate that stands outside a small, peaceful town. The Kamikuri estate consisted of a large, elegant mansion surrounded by 300 acres of lush, green land. A young widowed man by the name of Katsuhiro lived in the mansion, along with his beautiful, young daughter Yuri.

Despite the fact that he had lost his wife, Katsuhiro was content. Yuri was an energetic and playful girl, always willing to make her father smile. Their lives were great... until one fateful day.

Believing Yuri needed the care of a mother, Katsuhiro remarried. His new wife, Lady Itou, was of equal wealth and prestige and had two daughters around Yuri's age: Masami and Chouko. Both girls were of equal beauty, but, like their mother, they were vain and selfish.

Later that year, Katsuhiro fell ill after coming home one winter day. His sickness worsened until he finally passed away, leaving Yuri at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and stepsisters. Her happy days had now come to an end and she had now slipped into the beginning of a nightmare.

**Scene 2 ~ Bright Ideas**

The sky was dark, covered in a blanket of refulgent stars, plus the silver crescent moon that hung limply. The sound of cicadas echoed throughout the area, with the help of the wind's soft breeze. All was calm in the kingdom-

"TOBI!!!"

Well... not so quiet... Deidara had just shook the entire country with his screaming. The young prince had just awakened from a haunting yet intriguing dream.

Located in the middle of a large garden, Deidara is standing and next to him is a girl; the only thing you can see, however, is her eyes, which are a sparkling blue. The couple was watching a display of fireworks. In the midst of it all, the two look into each other's eyes, just about to share a kiss...

Just then, a skinny, dark-haired man scurried into the prince's private chambers. You couldn't see his face, however; it was covered with a bright orange mask.

"Yes, Deidara-sama! Tobi at your service!" The man stood erect, clad in his pajamas and bunny slippers, his left hand to his head in a salute.

At seeing his assistant's attire, Deidara only rolled his eyes, placing his hand on his forehead and sighing deeply. Tobi could clearly see that his prince was quite troubled.

"Did you have a nightmare, Deidara-sama?" he asked, walking to the prince's bed. "When I get scared, I usually put my head between my legs and-"

"I didn't have a nightmare, you twit!" He looked away and sighed again. "But that dream... it felt so real, hm..."

"What was it about, Deidara-sama? Maybe I can help you interpret it!"

Deidara groaned as he muttered, "That's why I summoned you here, hm..."

He sat up with his back against the bed's headrest, blue-gray eyes cast to the ceiling. "I was standing in a garden," he began, "and standing next to me was a girl. We were watching a display of fireworks and... at that moment... we looked into each other's eyes... And then I woke up."

Tobi listened intensely at Prince Deidara's story, then scratched his head. "Sounds like something from a soap opera. Do you know what she looked like?"

The prince shook his head, his messy blonde hair flailing mildly. "The only thing I could see were her gown and her eyes... They were... a beautiful shade of blue, hm..."

At hearing this, Tobi scratched his head again. "Maybe she was a ghost?"

"She couldn't have been a ghost, Tobi. She looked too real..." Deidara whispered deeply. "I only wish I knew who she was, hm."

Just then, a thought popped into Tobi's mind. The masked man turned to the blonde, a sparkle in his-er-eye.

"Maybe she's real after all, Deidara-sama!"

Deidara turned toward him, an eyebrow raised. "What are you getting at?"

Tobi grinned inwardly and said, "Since you say that girl seems to be too real to be a dream... maybe... she's one of the girls in those hentai magazines you always-"

BAM!!! Tobi had landed head-first into the wall.

With a snort, Deidara flexed his wrist as he growled, "You're no help at all." He was just about to go back to bed when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in, hm."

The door opened and in stepped the grand duke, a young, red-haired man with eyes the color of earth. He looked tiredly at both Deidara and Tobi who had just pulled himself out of the newly-formed crater.

"Hiiiii Sasori-sama!" Tobi exclaimed, waving retardedly.

Twitching an eyebrow, the grand duke only stared at Tobi and then turned his gaze to Deidara whose eyebrow was also twitching, but out of pure annoyance.

"Your mother wishes to see you," Sasori muttered boredly.

The three men arrived at the doors of the queen's private chambers, only to be greeted by extremely hysterical screaming and then a chair that busted past them. Luckily, the trio managed to dodge in time.

"Nice to know Mom's feelin' happy, hm."

Sasori rolled his eyes and knocked on the door. Immediately, the screaming stopped. "Your son's come here to see you."

"Bring him in."

A well-robed and rather-er-buxom woman stood in front of the bedroom window, panting heavily. She had light blonde hair tied into one ponytail and amber-colored eyes. The woman turned to see Deidara, Sasori and Tobi - who was hiding behind Sasori - standing in the doorway and smiled.

"Hello, dear," she said sweetly. "Hope I didn't wake you."

Deidara twitched an eyebrow and sweatdropped. "Uh... You called for me, Mom?"

Tsunade sat down at her bedroom desk, her chin resting on her hands. "Obviously, the two of us aren't getting any younger; you've just turned twenty. So, in order for you to find a wife, I've decided to hold a ball."

"A ball? You've got to be kidding me!" Deidara groaned. "I've got better things to do than waste my precious time on a-"

"Come on, Deidara-sama. I'm sure it'll be fun!" Tobi said cheerfully. "Besides, you'll probably get the chance to find that 'dream girl'..."

At hearing this, Tsunade looked up, an eyebrow raised and a smirk plastered on her face. "Oh? A dream girl, you say?" She looked over at Deidara who was now strangling the orange-masked man. She chuckled and stood up. "It's settled! We'll be holding this ball so my son can find a wife. In the morning, I'll hold a meeting to start the planning. You're dismissed. Good night."

The three men walked out of the room, Deidara sulking most of the way.

"Great... Now, I have to go to a stupid party where I'll have to meet a bunch of crazy, annoying fangirls. This'll be a blast, hm."

Tobi put his arm around the prince's shoulder. "Don't be such a grouch! Just give this a shot! If that girl from your dream really does exist, then I know you'll find her!"

Narrowing his eyes, the blonde straightened himself and sighed. "Fine, but if this doesn't go well, Tobi, I'll have your head."

**Scene 3 ~ A Cordial Invitation**

A mixture of bright orange, yellow and pink blanketed the vast sky as the silver stars began to grow faint and disappear. Small fragments of sunlight filled the windows of the Kamikuri mansion. Everyone was fast asleep until the sunlight hit one particular girl in the face.

"Erm... Five more minutes, Mom..." were the only words of Kamikuri Yuri. She turned on her stomach, her large fluffy pillow covering her head.

Silence.

When she realized there was no answer, Yuri groaned and got up. She stretched and yawned as she walked to her mirror and gave herself a good look.

"Sheesh! I've got bags and a bedhead." ("Oh noes! Run from the dreaded bedhead!")

Taking a brush and a basin full of cold water, Yuri went through the morning routine of primping herself. Then she got dressed in her usual maid outfit, pulling her long, black hair into a messy ponytail.

"Better hurry and get Ludwig up," she muttered, mentally rolling her eyes at the mention of his name.

Yuri slowly walked down the dark hallway, careful not to wake her stepsisters as she crept past their bedrooms. She made sure to open the large curtains, letting in the gorgeous sunlight.

When she arrived at her stepmother's room, she quietly opened the door and poked her head inside; thanks to the sunlight, Yuri could see into the dark room. Luckily, her stepmother was still asleep, but the light had awakened her hairless poodle Ludwig.

Mustering up all her strength, Yuri put on her sweetest face, her cerulean eyes sparkling.

"Good morning, Ludwig," she whispered kindly, "Auntie Yuri's gonna make a nice, decadent breakfast for you. C'mon and get up, so you can have it!"

The dog looked up and gave the girl a haughty look before turning his derrière to her face. It was a pet's way of saying, "Buzz off."

Realizing the insult, Yuri's expression turned from sweet to venomous; an anime vein pulsed on her forehead as she stomped her foot loud enough for him to hear.

"A** for brains! Come here!"

Immediately, the dog shot up and jumped off his fine silk pillows, sauntering out of the room. Just as he was about to shoot another dirty look, Yuri shut the door against his butt.

She smiled to herself and motioned Ludwig to follow her down to the kitchen.

"Maybe I should call you like that from now on?"

Yuri and Ludwig arrived at the kitchen and Yuri started on her usual morning chores, first giving Ludwig a bath and then breakfast: the usual kibble and water. So much for a decadent breakfast.

"Now let's see... Where to start?" Yuri pulled a To-Do list from her apron pocket. The list was long, full of boring chores that had to be done by the end of the day.

Shrugging, she decided to go in order and get the first chore out of the way: feeding the gorillas - I mean, her beloved stepsisters and stepmother. Yuri walked to the stove and began boiling water in two pots. Then she began cleaning three round breakfast trays.

"Seriously... It would be nice if they treated me for a change."

A plethora of thoughts invaded her mind. Thoughts of her deceased parents. Yuri sighed deeply as the many memories flowed through, calming her riled spirit. She could almost feel her mother's warm embrace and imagined her standing next to her, flashing her a warm, charming smile.

"Make the most out of every situation, no matter how tough. You're a smart, creative girl, my dear Yuri. If you do, everything will turn out wonderfully."

Those comforting words immediately dissipated when three irritated voices screeched loudly, "YURI!!!" They sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

Mother, you don't know how wrong you are. Yuri groaned inwardly and finished preparing the breakfast trays before trudging upstairs. This was going to be a long day...

Later in the afternoon, Lady Itou and her daughters were practicing their music lesson in the upstairs parlor.

"Remember, Masami, make your voice as sweet and gentle as a nightingale."

"Yes Mother." Masami straightened herself and cleared her throat. Then at the top of her lungs... screeched like a bag of cats being dragged up the motorway.

OHHH... SING SWEET NIGHTINGALE!

SING SWEET NIGHTINGALE...!

HI----GH ABOVE ME---...!

Poor Ludwig (*cough* Not. *cough*). He had tried almost everything to relieve himself of this demon's screeching siren. Finally, when Masami's became utterly unbearable, the poodle hopped off the large, leather couch and scurried out the door, slamming it with his hind leg.

An angelic sound then came to the dog's ears, driving him to follow it. The sound led him to the young maid downstairs, singing the same song but sounding much better.

Ohh... Sing sweet nightingale...

Sing sweet nightingale!

Ahhhhh~...

Yuri was daydreaming, as usual, while she cleaned the floor. She was completely engrossed in it that-

SPLASH!!!

Snapping from her particularly lovely trance, Yuri looked to see Ludwig standing a few feet away. The dog grinned maliciously as Yuri's azure eyes turned stone with anger when she saw the spilled bucket, soapy water spilled across the floor.

"You little sh*t!" Yuri shouted, pulling a pocket knife from her apron pocket. She grabbed Ludwig by the tail, an anime vein pulsing on her forehead. "Do I have to chop off those flea-bitten paws to keep you from bugging me?!"

A sudden knock on the door interrupted Yuri's rant. She immediately dropped Ludwig, giving him an icy glare. The hairless dog scurried back upstairs as Yuri rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Hmph. Wuss."

The girl trudged to the door and opened it, only to be greeted by a short, pudgy man wearing a poofy, white wig. On his back was a large bag full of envelopes.

"From the palace," the short man announced, "a royal decree from Her Majesty, the Queen."

A perplexed feeling came across Yuri, yet she only shrugged and took the envelope while muttering a simple "Thank you".

What could this be...? Yuri pondered as she examined the cream-colored envelope that was marked with the royal seal. Hmm... I'll just give it to Stepmother and see.

Meanwhile, Lady Itou was trying to pacify the two squabbling sisters. She was now reaching her breaking point... literally.

"Girls, stop your arguing this instant! You are acting childishly!" At the sound of the door, she abruptly turned her head. "WHAT?!"

Yuri rushed inside the room, her eyes meeting with her stepmother's cold glare.

"You impudent girl! How many times do I have to-"

"This message came from the Queen," Yuri interrupted. "It's important!"

Like magic, the stepsisters ceased their fighting and huddled around Lady Itou as she opened the envelope. Her dull, gray eyes became wide as she read:

_Dearest Madam,_

_You are cordially invited to a great celebration in honor of Prince Deidara's 20th birthday. This ball will be held on the 21st of May, starting at 7:00 PM and ending at 1:00 the following morning. Every eligible maiden is to attend._

_Sincerely,_

_Her Majesty_

_P.S. If you don't come, we'll find you._

Masami and Chouko immediately began jumping around with excitement, swooning at the thought of seeing the handsome, blonde prince.

"I can't believe we'll be dancing with the prince!"

"I know! I'm obviously his type!"

Yuri was equally excited about the invitation. "That means I can go, too!"

The stepsisters laughed hysterically at her words, making Yuri shoot them a glare.

"What's so funny?"

Chouko smirked. "It's obvious. A plain-looking scullery maid like yourself couldn't possibly be worthy of the prince, let alone go to something as elegant as a ball."

"I'm just as eligible as the two of you. If you were paying attention, the invitation inquired that every eligible maiden is to attend."

Lady Itou studied the invitation as her daughters gawked at her, waiting anxiously for her decision; Yuri was giving her "puppy-dog" eyes, hoping she would hear her out.

"It's true you're our scullery maid, dear Yuri," she began, "but you're still my stepdaughter... I see no harm in you going if you get all your work done."

At hearing this, Yuri's heart soared as her bright, sapphire eyes sparkled euphorically. "Thank you so much, Stepmother! You rock!"

Lady Itou only chuckled, "I know."

**Scene 4 ~ The Shattered Dream**

The past two weeks had been nothing but hectic for the ladies of the kingdom. Every single maiden in the kingdom was doing everything to look her best for the upcoming ball. Even the ladies of the Kamikuri estate had been preparing.

The day after the invitation was delivered, Lady Itou spent countless amounts of time and money on spoiling and pampering her two daughters.

Yuri... Yeah, she was on her own.

While Masami and Chouko busied themselves with makeup and hair, she had collected some materials they had tossed aside. She had also managed to confiscate the remnant of her family fortune to buy a sapphire necklace.

For the next few nights, Yuri worked hard to make the perfect ball gown for herself. Using the materials she collected and one of her deceased mother's old gowns, she worked her magic - and her sewing skills - until her creation was completed.

"Mother! The coach has arrived!"

Lady Itou stepped out of her bedroom, dressed in the finest silks and jewels. She smiled to herself, knowing Yuri wouldn't be able to tag along. She had given her too much work and threw in a deadline to make it harder.

Just as the trio stepped into the evening air, they heard a voice.

"Hey! Wait up!"

The three women turned to see Yuri running after them, clad in a lovely, homemade gown. She beamed as she twirled around in her dress, feeling nothing but proud of her hard work.

"So? What do you think?"

By now, Masami and Chouko were shocked, too stunned to speak. Until a thought popped simultaneously in their minds.

What if the prince favored her over them?!

In a fit of rage and jealousy, they lunged at the girl and began pulling and tearing apart her gown. Yuri begged and screamed at them to stop, but they ignored her pleas. To soil the now-destroyed dress, Masami pushed the poor girl into a nearby mud puddle.

"Girls, that is quite enough," Lady Itou said placidly, as if nothing had happened. "We should go before we're late."

With a last scoff, the girls left and the carriage disappeared into the night. Yuri looked down at her tattered and stained clothing and then at the broken necklace that was now caked in mud. Her dreams had been shattered.

**Scene 5 ~ Seeds of Hope**

Yuri tried her best to hold back her tears but it was to no avail. She was angry at her stepsisters for ruining the dress she had spent so much time on. She was angry at her stepmother for not stopping them from their animalistic behavior. And she was angry at herself for believing she had a chance at happiness.

"I can't believe I was so stupid!" Yuri hissed, pounding her dirty fists into the grounds. "To let myself believe I could trust them! D*mn, I'm so-"

"Stupid, right? Don't tell me you're going to give up already."

Surprised, Yuri looked around, a puff of smoke suddenly clouding her vision. When it dispersed, there stood a tall, old man with long, white hair. The weird thing was... He was standing on a large toad.

Yuri only sat there, her eyes widened in shock. "Who the heck are you?"

The old man smirked proudly and tossed his hair back. "Hehe. I'll be more than happy to introduce myself, dollface!"

(Just take the time to imagine the "Jiraiya Theme Song". In other words, the music that always plays when he makes a dramatic entry.)

"Men cower in fear and the mountains shake in my presence. The women bow at my feet, worshiping my awesome power...! Never fear, my dear girl! Jiraiya, the gallant Toad Sage, has arrived to make all your dreams come true!"

Silence. Yuri couldn't help but stare. Her eyes twitched at the sight of the Toad Sage and his "grandiose" entrance.

"Uh... Nice meeting you, Mr. Toad Sage, sir... Why have you come here?"

With a deep sigh, the Toad Sage jumped from his toad and landed in front of her. He squatted down, his dark eyes meeting with her azure orbs.

"Didn't you hear what I said? I've come to grant your wish. I'm gonna make sure you go to that ball."

She couldn't believe her ears. This guy, the great "Toad Sage", was going to help her? It just didn't seem possible.

"How're you going to do that? I'm dirty and wearing tattered clothes."

Jiraiya smiled proudly as he began performing some handsigns. "Leave that to me."

Out of another puff of white clouds, a group of toads appeared. One of them, however, stood out. He was a bit larger than the others and had a light green skin tone with yellow streaks and large orange lips. A wine-colored bow adorned the toad's back, while his face was colored with light pink blush.

Smiling, Jiraiya patted the light green toad on the head. "Gamariki and his team here will be the ones to clean and primp you. I'll be taking care of the rest."

Before Yuri could say a word, she was whisked away by the lime green amphibian and his entourage.

"Leave everything to me, Jira-chan!" he called out before disappearing.

"Hey wait! Where're we going?!"

The past half hour was one of the best in Yuri's life! It had been several years since she's been treated with such... care. Even though the people "caring" for her were toads.

Gamariki and his group had transported her to a large and elegant bathroom. Once there, she enjoyed a hot, relaxing bath and a mani-pedi session while her hair was being styled. It was like a spa day!

When they returned, Yuri stood in a bathrobe and flip-flops, her hair done and adorned with a stunning sapphire hairclip. Jiraiya couldn't stop himself from having a nosebleed, for Yuri's bathrobe stopped just above her knees, showing off her slender legs.

"Uh... Jira-chan," Gamariki began, snapping the Toad Sage from his perverted trance, "what about Yuri-kun's dress? Haven't you prepared it?"

Jiraiya gave him a grin. "Of course I have," he said, performing some handsigns. "What'd you think I've been doing the whole time?"

In the blink of an eye, Yuri was clothed in a short, black dress with a low V-neck collar and slits up the sides. The Toad Sage gave her the "thumbs-up" with a perverted grin. "You can wear that masterpiece, my dear. You'll look stunning."

An irritated look was painted on Yuri's face as her eyebrow twitched. "I AM NOT WEARING THIS, YOU PERVERTED OLD GEEZER!!!"

Jiraiya groaned, waving his hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay! You can wear this one instead." He performed a few handsigns and Yuri was then dressed in a dress with matching slippers of glass. The broken and mud-caked sapphire necklace was now clean and in one piece, adorning her neck.

Gamariki and the other toads stood, amazed. "Yuri-kun, you look gorgeous!"

However, his comment fell on deaf ears. Yuri couldn't stop twirling around in her new gown. Then she realized-

"How am I going to get there? I can't go by foot, y'know."

The Toad Sage rubbed his chin. "Yes, you are right..." He suddenly spotted Ludwig standing idly near the front door. The white-haired man smirked as he made a handsign and, in a flash, the hairless poodle became a giant toad.

Then Jiraiya turned to Yuri. "Before you go, you must heed this warning. Make sure you're back before the clock strikes midnight. If you don't, the spell will be broken and everything will return to its original form."

Yuri looked up, a hopeful look in her eyes. "Don't worry about it. I promise I'll be back way before then." And with that, she quickly mounted the toad. As it sprinted off, Yuri turned to wave goodbye while yelling a heartfelt, "Thank you, Ero-sennin~!"

"Don't call me that!"

**Scene 6 ~ The Budding Flowers of Romance**

The castle glowed brighter than ever before. All the maidens of the kingdom was dressed in beautiful gowns and lovely jewelry. They giggled and talked amongst themselves, and at seeing the handsome, well-dressed Prince Deidara, they swooned.

However, the prince himself wasn't enjoying himself. Instead he stood boredly as he was introduced to each girl. Tobi stood beside him; he was grinning cheekily, though you couldn't see his face behind his mask.

"This is so boring," Deidara grumbled. "I'd rather stay in my room and work on my art than meet a bunch of fangirls. Besides, none of them even look like the girl in my dream, hm."

"Don't worry, Deidara-sama. I'm sure you'll find her," Tobi said, gleaming. "Who knows? Maybe she'll be wearing a mask like mine?"

The blonde man rolled his eyes, giving Tobi an irritated look. "Just remember that I'll have your head if this doesn't go well."

Tobi sweatdropped as he held his neck. "Eh... Hehe..."

At about quarter past eight, a giant toad landed in front of the grand palace entrance. The guards stared in confusion and slight awe as a beautifully dressed girl slid down the slimy amphibian's back and made her way inside the beautifully lit palace.

"Whoa... The Queen's palace..." Yuri couldn't help but stare at the marvelous and majestic features of the palace. She squealed to herself. I can't believe I'm going to meet the Prince~!

Pure excitement soared through Yuri's body, which began to show through victory-dancing. She continued to dance, unbeknownst to the people watching her.

"And now presenting Ladies Masami and Chouko, daughters of the honorable Lady Itou."

The two sisters pranced their way to introduce themselves to the young, bored prince. But, half way to their destination, they began to argue. Deidara rolled his eyes in annoyance, but then... something caught his attention.

There was a girl and she was victory-dancing...

Deidara rose an eyebrow as he stepped off the platform he was standing on. He walked towards the girl, slightly amused at her movements. Clearing his throat, he approached her, and she immediately stopped, her face cherry-red from embarrassment.

"Uh... You didn't see that," Yuri muttered with a nervous laugh.

With a smirk, the prince offered his arm to her. "Funny. You wanna dance?"

Yuri blushed a bit and accepted his offer. "I'd love to."

For most of the night, Yuri had danced. Danced with the handsome prince. Her love for him grew deeper with each passing second. And, unbeknownst to her, Deidara had grown interested in her. He didn't understand it; he was too confused about the whole situation.

Everyone had their eyes on the dancing couple. Masami and Chouko were especially jealous.

"Who is that tramp, Mother?"

"Yeah, who does she think she is?! Taking my Deidara-sama from me! What nerve!"

Lady Itou was equally surprised. The girl looked familiar, yet she just couldn't identify her. Her plans to find out about the mysterious girl were foiled when the couple disappeared into the palace garden...

He still didn't understand. He didn't understand what he felt for the girl. They had spent the entire night together, yet he couldn't explain what he felt about her.

The two walked through the garden, enjoying its beauty and the solitude it provided. They stopped at a water fountain that stood in the center of the garden.

"So... You like making sculptures?" Yuri asked, pointing at a clay bird that stuck out of his shirt pocket.

Deidara grinned and pulled out the small bird. "Do you like it? I made it earlier."

Yuri smiled as she nodded. "It looks so cool. I've never seen anything like it!"

Her words made the young man smile. "That's not all," he said. "If you want, I can show you more, hm."

With that, he made a handsign, and the bird began to flutter its wings. It flapped a few times before gliding into the air and exploding, creating an array of vibrant colors.

"Fine art is the beauty of that single fleeting moment of explosion."

Yuri stood in utter amazement as she stared up at the radiant fireworks. "How beautiful...!"

A small blush came across the young prince's face as he gently pulled the girl towards him, until her face was against his broad chest.

"Like you are..."

The two stared into each other's eyes as the stars shone brightly behind them. They leaned close to one another's face, just about to kiss...-

"Hey Deidara-sama!!!" So much for a tender, romantic moment.

Without a word, Deidara kicked Tobi into the fountain as he muttered, "Annoying, little-"

DONG! ...DONG!! ...DONG!!!

Yuri looked back and saw the clock's hand that told her it was midnight. Her eyes widened as she quickly shot up.

"I'm really sorry but I have to go! Nice meeting you, though!"

"Hey! Wait!" Deidara called as he chased after the girl. "I didn't even get your name, hm!"

But Yuri couldn't stop. She couldn't let him witness the spell break, she couldn't let him see her true self.

As she hurried down the castle stairs, one of her slippers fell off her foot. Yuri didn't stop to retrieve it, fearful that the prince would catch her. She quickly jumped onto the toad that immediately sprinted past the gates.

"Catch that thing!" Deidara yelled frantically. "Hurry before it gets away!"

Hundreds of horses fled the palace, pursuing the huge toad. Yuri looked back at the guards. Crap! They're gaining on us!

The toad picked up the speed, disappearing into a large, dark forest. A puff of smoke emerged and Yuri was back in her rags. And the toad had changed back into Ludwig.

Footsteps could be heard, so Yuri got up to hide. She had intended to leave Ludwig to get ran over, but something inside her nagged her, to the point of hysteria, to save his hairless hide as well.

When the guards had disappeared from eyesight, Yuri sighed with relief as she stood up, carrying a passed out Ludwig to the estate. She smiled to herself as she looked down at the now-broken sapphire necklace that she had placed in her apron pocket. Then she realized the glass slipper on her left foot.

"I'll be keeping this for sure." She looked up at the sky, her smile growing wider. Thank you so much for everything, Ero-sennin...

Deidara continuously paced around, waiting for the guards to return with the mysterious girl. He suddenly saw the guards come inside the palace, and he ran to them.

"Did you find her?!"

The captain of the guards lowered his head. "No, I'm sorry, Deidara-sama. We couldn't find the girl. She must have disappeared."

Letting out a low growl, Deidara stomped up the palace stairs but then noticed something on the ground. It was a glass slipper. A curious look adorned the prince's face as he picked up the slipper.

"This slipper was hers, hm..." he said with a thoughtful look.

Surprised, the guards watched as their prince made his way to his room, closing the door behind him. He examined the slipper carefully, thoughts of the girl coming to his mind.

"Tobi!"

In a flash, the masked man appeared in the young prince's room. Deidara turned to him and stood up, a firm look on his face.

"Make this decree," he said, "Starting today, every girl in the kingdom must try on this slipper. Whoever can fit it will become my bride."

Tobi saluted with an invisible grin. "Yessir!"

And at that moment, Deidara knew. He knew what he felt. For that mysterious girl with beautiful sapphire eyes.

He felt love.

**Scene 7 ~ Two Yearning Hearts**

The following day, the decree was immediately proclaimed. Every girl was anxious; they all hoped to be the lucky princess bride. Word had especially reached the Kamikuri estate. Lady Itou was just as excited as her daughters.

Power. Riches beyond belief. And a hot prince for a husband. What could be better?

Yuri had also heard the news but didn't say anything. She knew the prince was looking for her; she had become lovesick over the matter.

At about quarter past three, the royal carriage arrived in front of the estate. Masami and Chouko ran around in pure ecstasy.

"It's here! The royal carriage is here!!"

Lady Itou smirked as she looked back at Yuri who was doing some outside chores. Not wanting her in the way, she called her inside.

"Yes, Stepmother?"

"Some important officials have come to do business with us," Lady Itou lied, "I want you to go into the attic and stay there unless I summon you otherwise. Understand?"

Yuri scowled, not liking her cruel stepmother's plan. But not wanting her to know about her knowledge, she bowed and trudged up the stairs.

The door opened and Lady Itou bowed.

"Welcome gentlemen. Please come inside."

Sasori and Tobi stepped inside, the brown-eyed man immediately sat on a large chair of leather. "Let's hurry and get this over with," he said tiredly. "I hate waiting."

After a few seconds of bickering, Chouko sat on the chair across from the redhead. "That slipper is obviously mine. I was made for it!" She giggled.

Meanwhile, Yuri was in the attic and, luckily, she could hear everything through a hollow pipe that connected to every room in the house.

"Crap!" she hissed under her breath. "I've got to get down there!"

Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice whine, "Sasori-sama! I'm tired, can we go home?"

Yuri smiled to herself, a plan concocting in her mind.

"Come on! Fit!"

An irritated Sasori watched as Masami tried to fit her Sasquatch - I mean, beautiful and delicate feet into the small slipper. The shoe suddenly slipped out of the girl's grasp when an eerie moaning rang throughout the mansion.

"EEAAHHHH!!!"

Tobi began running around the living room, screaming like a maniac. "It's a ghost! It's a gho-"

Sasori gave the masked man a good slap upside the head, a displeased look on his tired face. "Tobi, shut up." Then he turned to Lady Itou who had caught the slipper. "What was that noise?"

Lady Itou gave a nervous laugh, cursing Yuri under her breath. "Oh, that was just our scullery maid causing trouble. Just don't mind he-"

"Bring her down."

Begrudgingly, Lady Itou summoned Yuri downstairs; she smiled widely as she sat down in the chair, trying to hold in her excitement. Tobi leaned close to her, examining her face closely.

"You look familiar..." he said, "but I can't put my finger on it."

Yuri smirked as Sasori as the others sweatdropped.

"I'll let you figure that out, buddy," she said, showing off the glass slipper that was now on her foot.

**Scene 8 ~ A Dream Fulfilled**

After such a long and tiring search, Tobi and Sasori finally found the slipper's owner. The two men brought Yuri into a room; Sasori went to summon Deidara, who waited in another chamber.

"So? Did you find her, hm?"

Sasori twitched an eyebrow, a bit annoyed at the prince's anxiousness. "You know, Deidara-sama, if you were so hellbent on finding this 'dream girl', you could have come instead of Tobi."

Deidara rolled his eyes, dismissing his comment. "Did you find her or not?"

The redhead pointed to a door that led to the room Yuri was in, and Deidara rushed past him. When he entered the room, his eyes became wide as he stared.

Yuri was victory-dancing... and Tobi had followed suit.

As soon as she saw him watching, Yuri immediately stopped as she laughed nervously. "Eh... Hehe..."

A chuckle left Deidara as he smirked. He approached the girl and placed both hands on his hips. "Let me guess, I didn't see that, hm?"

"You caught me..." Yuri laughed again, smiling shyly.

The prince lifted her chin, their eyes meeting once again. "So, will you marry me?"

At once the girl beamed as she wrapped her arms around her lover's neck. "I'd love to."

"C'mon! Can't you tell me?!" Tobi whined. "Who are you?"

Deidara and Yuri looked back at him and smiled to themselves.

"We'll let you figure it out..."

_Fin._


End file.
